What is Mind Mapping

What is Mind Mapping

Mind Mapping is a tool and a modern learning technique that arranges one’s visual ideas and tries to interconnect them. The technique is used to graphically arrange and link concepts with other concepts and issues. It’s a vast study that allows to create, capture, organize and communicate understood interactive visual representations of information and complex ideas. Mind Mapping brings out the best use of brain power.

We have been hearing, ‘seeing is believing’ from a long time. If it’s true, Mind Mapping can help you and your business develop a universe of ideas. The technique, by the help of Mind Maps, lets students, engineers, business, etc. make notes, that use only keywords and images.

What are Mind Maps

Mind maps have been there from centuries. They were used to analyze various kinds of problems, for example, the graphical representations of the categories of Aristotle by Neoplatonist thinker Poephry, in the 3rd century. But, it was a British psychologist and creative business guru, Tony Buzan, who made them popular in 1960s.

Mind Maps are diagrams that are used to represent ideas, words, tasks, etc. which are linked and centered around a keyword. They help in visualizing problems and help make decisions to reach to an innovative effective solution. Their four important characteristics are:

• A central image that represents the subject
• The important themes of the subject diversify from the central image known as main branches
• Minor themes are linked to important (major) themes
• A nodal structure connects all branches

Applications Of Mind Maps

• You can systematize, re-systematize and filter collected thoughts and ideas.
• Brainstorm, within groups or individually.
• Research and consolidate information from multiple sources.
• Visualize human Information exchange.
• Gain insights on complex topics and problems.
• Form relationship between key-points, by analyzing and structuring the information.
• To improve knowledge management systems.
• Manage the information for meetings, presentations, proposals, projects, etc. in preparation, execution and follow-up phase.

You definitely must be wondering how Mind Maps and Mind Mapping actually help, or is there any practical example in today’s world. Well, the answer is yes. They are popular all over Asia and Europe. A fact in US being, Boeing Aircraft utilizes a 25-foot long Mind Map, to help a team of aeronautical engineers learn things that would have taken a few years. And the bonanza is, they save a whopping $10 million. Not only Boeing, many others like Hyundai, British Petroleum and Digital Equipment use the technique to improve their performance.

Earlier the technique is learnt and executed, the better it is for you and your endeavors. Mind Maps have forayed into schools where children learn to make them. It allows students to acquire a strategy for note making, creative writing, report writing, decision making, studying complex topics in an easy way and a lot more. Children learn to extend their ability to make contributions.

Mind Maps is a technique, which if implemented and followed properly, engages brain in a much better and richer way, helping find solution to almost any problem. Moreover, it’s all fun!